Conservation - West Texas Rangelands

Integrated Pest Management for Woody Encroachment

September 20, 2023 by casey.matzke

The top 5 woody invasive plant species in the Great Plains Grasslands include; Eastern redcedar, Honey mesquite, Chinese tallow, Ashe juniper, and Redberry juniper. Past brush management efforts have been unable to stop or reverse the loss of grasslands at county, state, or regional scales. Traditional management efforts have assumed that there are tolerable levels of the top five woody pests in grasslands before encroachment becomes a resource concern and mechanical or chemical removal of woody plants will restore a site back to a grassland. Scientists are now recommending more integrated approaches for dealing with woody species and ending the reinvasion cycle in grasslands.

SRM Multidisciplinary Rangeland Ecosystem Services Report

August 30, 2023 by casey.matzke

The Society for Rangeland Management recently released their Rangeland Ecosystem Services Report: Connecting Nature and People. The report includes five key rangeland service topic areas including; food and fiber, water as an ecosystem driver in rangelands, carbon sequestration and security, plant and insect biodiversity, and wildlife habitat provision.

Photo: Rangeland Ecosystem Services Report

Reducing Woody Encroachment in Grasslands: A Pocket Guide for Planning and Design

August 23, 2023 by casey.matzke

Have you seen the latest Pocket Guide from the Great Plains Grasslands Extension Partnership? This Pocket Guide integrates new guidelines for reducing woody encroachment with a planning process. It is also an important resource that further incorporates the latest, science-based approaches for reducing woody encroachment.

Conserving Texas: Quantifying Ecological Return on Investment

May 31, 2023 by casey.matzke

In Texas, close to 95% of the land lies in private ownership, which means relying on collaborative solutions and public-private partnerships to support the stewardship and conservation of natural resources for the public good.

Statewide Texas Landowner Survey Results

May 10, 2023 by casey.matzke

Did you know that Texas Landowner demographics are surveyed by the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute (NRI)? This type of information is incredibly valuable and insightful to the changing demographic occurring across Texas working landscapes.

Wild Pig Damage in Texas

April 26, 2023 by casey.matzke

Did you know that wild pigs are found on 6 of the 7 continents? Over the past four decades, wild pigs have expanded into 35 states in the United States, with an estimated population of 6.9 million. They are highly adaptable with high reproductive rates.

What Is In My Soil?!

April 19, 2023 by casey.matzke

Did you know that your soil is a living, breathing ecosystem and is easily one of the most complex ecosystems on earth?! There are billions (perhaps trillions) of organisms in a small handful of healthy soil, with millions of different species.

[Read more…] about What Is In My Soil?!

Central Texas Fuels Reduction Grant

April 12, 2023 by casey.matzke

The Central Texas Fuels Reduction Grant has officially opened! This an opportunity for Central Texas Landowners to apply for the SFAM Mechanical Fuels Reduction Grant to help reduce risks posed to their property by wildfire.

Prescribed Burn School April 19 – 21, 2023 – San Angelo, Texas

March 24, 2023 by casey.matzke

Prescribed Burn School April 19 – 21, 2023 – San Angelo, Texas

Dr. Morgan Treadwell is back with her first Prescribed Burn School for 2023 in San Angelo, Texas on April 19 – 21! If you are curious about prescribed fire or would like to get more hands-on experience, this 3-day school is for you! View the agenda here.

Wood Plant Encroachment in Grasslands: Teaching by RAP’ping

March 22, 2023 by casey.matzke

Are you headed to Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Conference this weekend? If so, be sure to stop by and see our very own Erika Sullivan during the Graduate Poster Presentation.